League Board of Directors Meetings

Miscellaneous

League Leaders - December 4-5, 2019 (Napa)

The City Attorneys’ Department of the League of California Cities is comprised of the city attorneys of the League’s member cities, as well as their assistant and deputy city attorneys. The department president is generally responsible for the department’s work, assisted by the first vice president, second vice president, and department representative on the League Board of Directors. The League’s Legal Department staff, including the general counsel, the assistant general counsel, the deputy general counsel and the legal services manager, assists the officers in implementing the department’s goals – which are to:

Advance the purposes and goals of the League;

Support and encourage high-quality legal advice to and representation of California cities by producing conferences, continuing education programs, and other works of interest in the field of municipal law;

Foster the professional development and enrichment of Department members by providing the opportunity to exchange ideas, consult with one another and meet with persons in or associated with municipal law;

Encourage the continued advancement of city attorneys by supporting professional accomplishment and adherence to high ethical standards;

Serve as a technical and advisory department to the League, including analysis of pending legislation and litigation; and

Propositions 218 and 26 Implementation Guide

The League engages in advocacy on behalf of cities before the appellate courts through the Legal Advocacy Program, because laws affecting cities are made in the courts as well as in the Legislature. The League receives counsel on its amicus or "friend-of-the-court" efforts from the Legal Advocacy Committee, composed of city attorneys from throughout the state.

The Legal Advocacy Report is provided to keep Department members informed of the Committee's activities relating to the League's amicus participation in appellate cases.

The League weighs in on legal issues when its participation is likely to affirmatively advance cities' collective legal interests by establishing legal precedent that will help cities more effectively serve their communities. Generally, for the League to become involved in the resolution of a legal issue, cities should agree on the preferred outcome of the dispute and no city should be adversely affected by the League's efforts. In rare cases, the League will get involved in litigation or Attorney General opinions where cities do not have a common interest in the same outcome; the League will become involved in such issues only after full League board consideration and approval.

Whenever possible, and to maximize the effective use of limited resources, the League will collaborate and join with other local agency associations and organizations to achieve mutually desired legal outcomes through the Legal Advocacy Program.